1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a distributing and smoothing tool and, in particular, to a tool with a trowel blade and a grip for bricklayers, plasterers and painters. A fastening rail is attached to the upper face of the trowel blade away from the smoothing and distributing face. The fastening rail extends in the longitudinal direction of the trowel blade. The rail, in cross section, has a web facing the grip and limbs issuing from the web, extending in parallel and directed towards the upper face of the trowel blade. The grip includes a groove in its base which engages over the fastening rail. The grip is releasably fastened to the rail by way of fastening means.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A distributing and smoothing tool is described in DE 27 00 739 C2, issued on Oct. 22, 1987. A U-section serves as the fastening rail. The U-section is attached with its limbs downwards to a trowel blade, consisting of steel plate, and is fixed by rivets. The rivets, usually four of them, are in this respect welded to the trowel blade and guided through boreholes of the rail in such a way that the rail is securely connected to the trowel blade. A grip is releasably connected to the rail. The grip can be set in one or the other of two positions 180 degrees apart. Also, the grip may fastened to the fastening rail in positions displaced from one another in the longitudinal direction. In this way, the trowel blade may be better utilized, for it is subject to constant wear during operation.
The grip itself includes the handle with a front downwardly angular region and it is formed in one piece with a grip-base part reaching to the front and back. The rear grip-base part formed under the handle in this respect has an integrally molded recess, into which engages a lug-like attachment of the U-rail mounted on the trowel blade. The front grip-base region is releasably secured by a screw to the U-rail. Since two screws, or two threads are provided in a mirrored manner from the center of the U-shaped fastening rail and the lug-like attachment mentioned above is integrally molded to each end of the fastening rail, the grip can be selectively fixed in positions displaced by 180 degrees from one another.
Although the described type of fastening of the grip has proven satisfactory, disadvantages result from this type of fastening of the fastening rail to the trowel blade. One disadvantage is the rivets, four of which are used according to the exemplary embodiment described, are welded individually onto the trowel blade and the fastening rail is then attached and the rivets closed. This is relatively time-consuming. Also, it is very disadvantageous that the very thin trowel blade, preferably consisting of elastic steel, braces during the rivetting procedure. The blade does not remain straight, but becomes corrugated, impairing the result of the work during use.
However, the greatest disadvantage is that the grip base is laterally supported next to the limbs of the fastening rail directly on the upper face of the trowel blade. The latter presses downwards on both sides of the fastening rail about the welding connection points of the rivets when the grip is made fast by screwing. The trowel blade in the process is deformed into a concave shape which likewise has a disturbing effect during use. If, during use, the trowel blade is loaded on one side, the grip base, which engages around the fastening rail and is likewise U-shaped in cross section, presses with the loaded limb directly on to the trowel blade. Since the trowel blade can give slightly, due to the rivets welded centrally in a row, the grip is not laterally connected to the trowel blade in a sufficiently stable manner. This, indeed only slight and resilient movement of the grip, is likewise disturbing during work.
Thus, it is desirable to improve the connection between the grip and trowel blade, without abandoning the fastening of the grip to the fastening rail, in such a way to achieve a stable holding of the trowel blade.